


Something Else

by BRobeast



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/F, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21948739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BRobeast/pseuds/BRobeast
Summary: The Amnesty crew celebrate the holidays together and Dani considers what home feels like.
Relationships: Dani & Aubrey Little
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Something Else

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Luddleston](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luddleston/gifts).



> This is my secret santa work for Luddleston; a wonderful human being I'm honored to call a friend. <3 HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Christmas made its way through the little town of Kepler like all creeping christmas things. A beast that smelled like pine needles and yankee candles, dragging itself down the main strip with garland whipping along the tarmac behind it. All of the mom and pop shops casted in warm shadows from the street lamps all twisted up in silver and gold decorations. Their windows all spattered with fake snow and back lit by electric candles. 

The Cryptonomica was no exception. A holiday spectacular in its own right where it sat just a bit out of the general walk of main street. Ned had been out immediately after Thanksgiving, bundled up in his jacket, teetering dangerously on a ladder so he could fasten an inflatable Nessy (sporting a santa hat. ‘Tis the season after all!) to the roof of his pride and joy. Kirby had been busy trying to get the massive menorah to stop falling over. He’d only just barely saved it from being desecrated by a mister Edmund “But What if the candle flames were GHOSTS? We could just sharpie marker the faces on!” Chicane….and now the odd wind whipping through Kepler seemed to have his number. 

The Kepler apartments had been twisted up in a mix of varied decor. Some more than others. Leo had spent the better part of the first week in December in full on nesting mode. Every inch of the window beside his front door was covered in gel santa stickies. His front door held an extravagant wreath that curled around the flimsy gold numerals for his apartment. Duck Newton’s apartment was a little more modest. In the window sat a single electric candle and along the perimeter of the window was a string of plastic ball ornaments. 

Down at Amnesty Lodge the soft carol of a piano playing through all of the christmas top twenty danced over the plums of snow that had accumulated across Kepler like a quiet blanket. Tucked away in its walls, lit by the warmth of the lobby’s fire, and the occasional pine scented candle was a few of the residents and three faces we’ve all become very familiar with. 

Seated in the large armchair, with her legs crossed like it would have killed her if her feet touched the ground, was Aubrey Little. In her lap sat a quiet Dr. Harris Bonkers all dressed up in a little green sweater that Dani had busied herself crocheting as a project for the season. Long golden ringlets draped over the chair where Dani stood, resting her chin on the back of it to admire her hard work, and the occasional glance at the brilliant smile on Aubrey’s face. 

“All I’m saying is that the tradition of murdering a perfectly good tree and then keeping the damn thing alive for four weeks is a human rights violation!” 

Duck Newton had been in a heated “conversation” with Agent Stern who looked mortified, but too polite to say anything. The park ranger had been swinging his arms wildly over the logic that plastic trees existed and how would you like it if you were just minding your own business and some lunatic just dragged you off, tied you up in pretty string, and then proceeded to keep your slowly dying body alive with sugar water. Oh, and don’t get him started on deforestation!

Ned had been recounting the prep for “A Super Natural Nativity” that had taken place last week. He’d put in a movie marathon for Saturday Night Dead where he and a group of helpful locals- mostly his dear friends- hosted a night of some spectacular favorites with Christmas notes. Oh, and Die Hard. Which always had a place in any holiday marathon.

Agent Stern didn’t want him to get started on it. Honestly, he didn’t have a leg to stand on because Hanukkah didn’t really involve murdering innocent trees. He’d offered up that information a few times in the hope that Duck would find another listening ear. Stern was more than exhausted hearing about christmas by this point and found himself silently grateful that there was only one day left before everyone moved on to shoving chocolate and commercialized love down everyone’s throats. 

Mama was tucked up in one of the couches with a book with Barclay on to opposite end- knees tucked up against his chest while he watched the annual “Year Without a Santa Claus” tape. 

“Y’know…” Aubrey huffs, looking over Dr. Harris Bonkers as he wiggles free from her lap and hops to sit beneath the large oak coffee table at the center of the room, “normally? I would have said Dr. Harris Bonkers was more of a vest kinda bunny? Buuuuut looking at him now. I think you might have been right about him being a sweater kinda bunny.”

Dani laughed, moving around the side of the armchair, taking a seat on one of the plush arms, and crossing her arms over her chest. An intense look of concentration crept across her face as she considered the rabbit in front of her.

“I probably should have gone with red…” she hummed, squinting her eyes as she tried to form a mental picture. 

“I’m definitely the red one in our little trio,” Aubrey offered, “so he can be the green one! Which makes youuuu the…….blue one?” 

Dani blinked, her eyes falling to the finger Aubrey had pointed at her with a roll of her wrist. She wasn’t entirely sure when she became part of a trio and how she ended up being the blue one, but…

Well, there was something nice about it.

A sense of belonging like that had started to feel harder and harder to grasp. It always slipped through her fingers in one way or another. Looking down at Aubrey from her seat on the arm of the chair surrounded by the warmth of Amnesty Lodge and…

“And all I’m sayin’ is if yer gunna cut the tree down anyway ya might as well- ”

“DUCK newTON! I HAVE TRIED THIS EEGnog you speak so highly of!”

“...minerva...you don’t have to yell...I’m standin’ right her-”

“AND it's disGUSTING!”

….and this wonderful group of people she was so incredibly blessed to meet it felt like home. 

And maybe it was just the holiday spirit, or the warmth of the fire, but as Dani looked at the woman in front of her she could have believed it was something else. 

“Eggnog is not disgusting your tastebuds musta been some kind of mixed up- WHA!? OW! Minerva why are you hittin’ me!?!”

“BEHOLD! I am in possession of the mistlefoe! SQUARE UP you punk bitch!” Minerva screeched, before looking to Aubrey for approval, holding up a tentative thumbs up. 

“YEAH!” Aubrey cheered from her place in the armchair, throwing a victorious fist in the air after hearing Minerva’s declaration of war over some holiday greenery, “JUST LIKE I SHOWED YA!” 

It was something else alright, Dani concluded as she fell into a fit of giggles. 

Definitely something else….


End file.
